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Who's Who - Prince Max von Baden

Prince Max von Baden (1867-1929) served
as Germany's last imperial Chancellor prior to the revolution and consequent
creation of a German republic in November 1918.

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Born on 10 July 1867 in
Baden Baden the son of the Grand Duke Frederick I's brother Prince Wilhelm,
Max von Baden became heir to the grand duchy in 1907.

Max's early role during
World War One was chiefly confined to welfare work for prisoners of war (of
all nationalities). Over time however he became a focal point for
moderate political opinion opposed to the extreme right-wing policies as
demonstrated by the Third Supreme Command, a virtual military dictatorship
led by Paul von
Hindenburg and
Erich Ludendorff.

In 1917 he came out in firm
opposition to a resumption in unrestricted submarine warfare.
Instigated in any event the policy ultimately proved disastrous, eventually
drawing the neutral U.S. into the war against the
Central Powers.

Appointed Chancellor by
Wilhelm II in
October 1918 (succeeding
Georg Hertling)
with Germany staring military defeat in the face, the Kaiser and the
military high command hoped that Max could - with his reputation for
moderation, in particular his opposition to unrestricted submarine warfare -
negotiate favourable armistice terms via U.S. President
Woodrow Wilson.

Quickly
unveiling limited
necessary constitutional reforms he soon came to realise that changes beyond
the cosmetic were required in order to save Germany from revolution.
Thus he determined to bring about the resignation of the effective leader of
the Third Supreme Command, Erich Ludendorff in late October.

Caught between the
socialists on the left who demanded the Kaiser's abdication and those on the
right who refused to countenance the idea, Max prevaricated, unsure whether
to pursue the possibility of a constitutional monarchy.